Northridge Comeback Falls Short

Sometimes the hole is just too deep, no matter how many people are trying to pull you out of it.

A noisy Matador Gym crowd of 1,151--the largest since 2,013 saw California play at Cal State Northridge on Jan. 22, 1995--rooted the Matadors on as they trimmed an 18-point second half deficit to one. But the Matadors couldn’t take the next step, and lost, 74-65, to first-place Northern Arizona in a Big Sky Conference game Saturday night.

The loss left the Matadors apologizing to the fans, feeling like the crowd had done its part, but they didn’t do theirs.

“I hope they continue to come out and don’t think this is how we play,” said forward Kevin Taylor. “We came out flat. I apologize for that.”

After pulling within 61-60 with 2 minutes 51 seconds to play, Northridge came up empty on three straight possessions. The Matadors turned the ball over on an errant pass, missed a three-point shot and were called for an offensive foul.

Meanwhile, Northern Arizona (15-3, 8-0 in Big Sky play) scored six straight points to go ahead, 67-60, with a minute to play.

A three-pointer by Lucky Grundy with 52 seconds to play made it 67-63, but the Lumberjacks hit seven of eight free throws after that and held on.

“Everyone felt like we were going to win the game,” Taylor said. “But a couple of bad plays and some fouls cost us.”

Fouls have cost Northridge (8-10, 4-4) in two consecutive losses, and they can’t blame being on the road this time. Northridge was called for 34 fouls--after getting called for 36 last week at Idaho State. Three Northridge players fouled out and another had four fouls.

“I don’t know what it is, maybe we’re just bad defensively,” Northridge Coach Bobby Braswell said. “I would like to think we’re not. It’s frustrating. . . . I’d better shut up now.”

Braswell caught himself before criticizing the officials. Almost.

“It’s rough in a new league,” he went on. “Sometimes I feel like a step child.”

Northern Arizona led, 43-25, with 19:17 to play when the Matadors cranked up the pressure. They had a 9-2 run--with eight of the points coming on dunks--that brought the crowd into the game and pulled the Matadors within 45-34 with 16:20 to play.

An 8-0 Northridge run a few minutes later--this one with two Gerald Rhoden three-pointers sandwiched around a Taylor dunk--pulled the Matadors within 49-44 with 11:41 to go. Rhoden led Northridge with 17 points, though he made only two of 10 three-pointers.

The Matadors couldn’t trim the lead any more until the 5:26 mark, when Keith Higgins’ two free throws made the score 59-56. A Higgins steal and dunk at 3:33 and then two Taylor free throws at 2:51 pulled Northridge within 61-60, but the Matadors never took the lead.

The Matadors might have been worn out because they put themselves in a hole by playing a horrible first half. Northridge shot 22% in the half and committed 17 turnovers, on its way to 31% shooting and 25 turnovers for the game.

Braswell and a few of his players said the eight-day layoff since Northridge’s last game might have caused the sluggish start.

“We didn’t get into the flow,” Keith Higgins said. “We took it for granted that we had a game and we didn’t have any emotion. Then when we were down by 18 it started to kick in, but it was too late.”

Northern Arizona, the second-best shooting team in the nation, made nine of its first 12 shots to take a 20-9 lead.